Conservative government could scrap London Assembly

The London Assembly is likely to be abolished by a new Conservative government. Conservative Intelligence – the £1,000-a-year, subscriber-only newsletter run by the ConservativeHome website – is predicting that the end of the authority could be a priority as part of huge public savings planned by David Cameron and George Osborne.

by Tribune Web Editor
Friday, October 16th, 2009

by David Hencke, Westminster Correspondent

The London Assembly is likely to be abolished by a new Conservative government. Conservative Intelligence – the £1,000-a-year, subscriber-only newsletter run by the ConservativeHome website – is predicting that the end of the authority could be a priority as part of huge public savings planned by David Cameron and George Osborne.

The Assembly would be replaced by a forum composed of councillors from the London boroughs who would question the Mayor. Such a change would mean that the London Mayor would become far more powerful under the Tories than Labour.

Current Tory Mayor Boris Johnson is already promising £5 billion of public spending cuts as part of his contribution to slashing state budgets.

The proposal shows the Tories have not changed their mind about an elected authority for London since Margaret Thatcher abolished the Greater London Council in the 1980s.

Tim Montgomerie, the owner of ConservativeHome, points out in the newsletter that the Tories have never been keen on the London Assembly.

“When the idea of a Mayor for London was put to a referendum in 1998, the Tories – then under William Hague – supported the creation of the Mayor’s office, but opposed the creation of an Assembly. Both were created, but the Tories haven’t really changed their minds about the value of Assembly Members and their supporting staff.

“David Cameron is already pledged to cut the cost of politics (for example, via a 10 per cent cut in the number of MPs). Abolishing the GLA and its 25 members would be a good next candidate for some more savings. A new body of London councillors could be formed to hold the Mayor to account.”

According to the London Assembly, the savings would not be huge. The cost of running the 25-member body is £8.6 million a year and its annual budget has already been frozen by Mr Johnson.

The Tories also have an ace to play if they want to close down the authority. Under present legislation, passed by Labour, a new Tory Communities Secretary could cancel the next round of assembly elections without referring the matter to Parliament.

A new government would have the power to postpone the elections due in May 2012 while legislation passed through Parliament to abolish the London Assembly.

Support for scrapping it is strong among Tory leaders in London boroughs. Stephen Greenhalgh, leader of Hammersmith and Fulham council, said: “What is the point of spending £8.6 million a year of public money just to ask the London Mayor questions? The authority doesn’t do anything and it would be much better if the Mayor was questioned by councillors from the London boroughs.”

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About The Author

  • James Hulme

    I proposed the idea in a pamphlet last year:

    http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/wp-
    content/uploads/glad-to-be-gla.pdf

    There are strong arguments towards empowering London borough leaders to be given a greater scrutiny role over the Mayor, but reform should also include insisting that the Mayor’s budget has to be approved by a majority of both outer and inner London leaders.

  • James Hulme

    I proposed the idea in a pamphlet last year:

    http://www.nlgn.org.uk/public/wp-
    content/uploads/glad-to-be-gla.pdf

    There are strong arguments towards empowering London borough leaders to be given a greater scrutiny role over the Mayor, but reform should also include insisting that the Mayor’s budget has to be approved by a majority of both outer and inner London leaders.

  • Andrew boff

    This shouldn’t be an issue which divides people along party lines. It’s just common sense to get rid of a layer that can easily be replicated by existing authorities at a fraction of the cost.

  • Andrew boff

    This shouldn’t be an issue which divides people along party lines. It’s just common sense to get rid of a layer that can easily be replicated by existing authorities at a fraction of the cost.

  • Herbert Morrison

    Swapping the London Assembly for a Leader’s Council is intellectually incoherent. Borough leaders have parochial interests and don’t take a Pan-London view. They have also signed the City Charter to deliver a joint programme of work with the Mayor – how could they then scrutinise and audit the delivery of those policies? Borough leaders would also trade local pet projects for Mayoral support, so bringing pork barrel politics into the heart of London governance. The big savings in London government are to be made from merging borough services. Despite years of promises boroughs continue to resist the massive savings that would come from jojnt provision of waste collection, parking enforcement as well as the backroom services of HR, payroll, legal etc…

  • Herbert Morrison

    Swapping the London Assembly for a Leader’s Council is intellectually incoherent. Borough leaders have parochial interests and don’t take a Pan-London view. They have also signed the City Charter to deliver a joint programme of work with the Mayor – how could they then scrutinise and audit the delivery of those policies? Borough leaders would also trade local pet projects for Mayoral support, so bringing pork barrel politics into the heart of London governance. The big savings in London government are to be made from merging borough services. Despite years of promises boroughs continue to resist the massive savings that would come from jojnt provision of waste collection, parking enforcement as well as the backroom services of HR, payroll, legal etc…

  • Claudius

    @Herbert Morrison

    So those GLA members with constituency seats take a “pan London” view at the moment then?

  • Claudius

    @Herbert Morrison

    So those GLA members with constituency seats take a “pan London” view at the moment then?

  • Young

    The London Assembly may only be scrapped if there is an English Parliament/Assembly to replace it. Democracy must be realised.

  • Young

    The London Assembly may only be scrapped if there is an English Parliament/Assembly to replace it. Democracy must be realised.

  • Nick (in the naughty corner)

    Andrew Boff is bang on the money here. That there might also be possible savings elsewhere from joint working by boroughs on back office functions does not alter it one iota. Let’s do both and reduce the burden on council tax payers.

    As for a ‘london wide view’ and trading support in return for funding for pet projects, if past experience allows the finger to be pointed on that front then it is at members of minority parties elected through the PR top up list back in the dark days of the Livingstone era. The suggestion that pork barrel politics only ever arises along geographical lines and has never made its way into City Hall is patently absurd.

  • Nick (in the naughty corner)

    Andrew Boff is bang on the money here. That there might also be possible savings elsewhere from joint working by boroughs on back office functions does not alter it one iota. Let’s do both and reduce the burden on council tax payers.

    As for a ‘london wide view’ and trading support in return for funding for pet projects, if past experience allows the finger to be pointed on that front then it is at members of minority parties elected through the PR top up list back in the dark days of the Livingstone era. The suggestion that pork barrel politics only ever arises along geographical lines and has never made its way into City Hall is patently absurd.

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  • GeoffM

    Well the Scots, Northern Irish, Welsh and largely migrant Londoners have a measure of self rule.

    The ONLY people who do not have this are the English of the Shires – the majority.

    It is right that the GLA is scrapped and Scotland/Wales are given independence. Ireland should, of course, be reunited.

    Only in that way will the English regain control over their own destiny and the whole multicultural, marxist madness be brought to an end.

  • GeoffM

    Well the Scots, Northern Irish, Welsh and largely migrant Londoners have a measure of self rule.

    The ONLY people who do not have this are the English of the Shires – the majority.

    It is right that the GLA is scrapped and Scotland/Wales are given independence. Ireland should, of course, be reunited.

    Only in that way will the English regain control over their own destiny and the whole multicultural, marxist madness be brought to an end.

  • Mark

    Here is a solution: Allow voters to vote BOROUGH by BOROUGH whether to be part of the GLA or not.

    Those boroughs that vote to be part of the GLA get an LAM, pay the precept and have their roads run by TFL and those of us who don’t want to be in the GLA will leave you alone.

    I imagine the split would be pretty much along party lines: Labour boroughs in; Tory boroughs out.

  • Mark

    Here is a solution: Allow voters to vote BOROUGH by BOROUGH whether to be part of the GLA or not.

    Those boroughs that vote to be part of the GLA get an LAM, pay the precept and have their roads run by TFL and those of us who don’t want to be in the GLA will leave you alone.

    I imagine the split would be pretty much along party lines: Labour boroughs in; Tory boroughs out.

  • Bugger Lugs

    Nice one GeoffM

    I agree as a Scots Independist

  • Bugger Lugs

    Nice one GeoffM

    I agree as a Scots Independist